"In my 15-year career in foreign politics I've never experienced a major meeting held via video conference. It's so distant, I hope we can go back to meeting in person soon," Asselborn said on Monday afternoon.
Ministers discussed the implications of COVID-19 for foreign affairs with a focus on repatriation of EU citizens stranded abroad, as well as the geopolitical implications of the pandemic. The council also discussed the state of affairs in Syria and the refugee situation on the Greek island of Lesbos, among other things.
Asselborn is disappointed in the decision taken by numerous EU Member States to close their internal borders. On 18 March, all states agreed to close the union's outside borders under the condition that internal borders would remain open. This is no longer the case.
On the subject of the union's external borders, states questioned whether containment of the virus would be possible with open borders, concluding that free movement of people into and out of the union would pose a problem.
"We should be celebrating 35 years of the Schengen agreement, but at this time 15 Member States have closed their borders. This is not what Europe stands for," Asselborn said.
As many of Asselborn's colleagues have stated before, Luxembourg cannot function without its cross-border workers: "Closed borders have nothing to do with the European community. They must remain open."
The foreign minister also had a clear message to the ADR party who questioned his decision not to test French cross-border workers working in Luxembourg's hospitals for the coronavirus.
"In what world do we live?" asked Asselborn. "We're not discriminating against anyone. Everyone who feels unwell or has symptoms will be tested. If not, then they won't be. We need to stop pointing fingers at others. If you're a vulnerable person, then you will be tested. C'est tout."
The EU is not only looking inwards, but also supporting countries and continents around the world with humanitarian and financial aid.
The US has said that countries such as Iran and Venezuela should not be receiving humanitarian support due to their political climate. "This is unacceptable," Asselborn stated. The EU has warned the US that no country should be deprived of humanitarian aid.
China is providing the EU and Luxembourg with vital supplies in the next few days. A logistical unit set up by the Ministry of Health is coordinating supplies in the country. It would be unhealthy for countries to start competing with who can provide medical supplies to crisis zones, ministers agreed in the council today.
The government and Luxair are organising repatriation flights. Asked where the 300 nationals abroad are located, Asselborn said that a large group of students is currently in Cuba, some were on holiday in Spain, and several remain in Costa Rica.
Governments are supporting each other with bringing citizens home. Luxair has stationed an aircraft on Cape Verde for this purpose. Asselborn: "We know what solidarity means."
The government announced Thursday refugee children could not be brought to Luxembourg from Greek migrant camps as Luxembourg could not offer suitable conditions for them at the moment.
Asselborn says that he is constant contact with the Greek government and the refugee organisations involved in handling the transition. The situation has been assessed, and even though Luxembourg is well-prepared and ready to take in the children, a safe environment can't be guaranteed at the moment due to the virus.
Asselborn is frustrated, but he says this decision was agreed upon by numerous organisations and governments involved. He hopes to bring over the children as soon as possible within one or two months.
Asselborn criticised Hungary's bill that would allow their PM Orban to rule by decree without a clear cut-off date. "It's a wink to authoritarianism," the foreign minister said angrily.
Furthermore, the EU has moved to start membership talks with Albania and North Macedonia. Progress is being made, but we are still "at the beginning", meaning it can take at least 10 years before they will be members, said Asselborn.
